CHAPTER 15

"Hi, Jay. Hey. Jay. Hey, what's up?" Girls says as the VK's walk pass them.

"Hi," Jay says to them.

"Why do you torture them? Just pick someone to take to Cotillion already," Carlos says.

"I already got my Cotillion date," Jay says with a smirk.

"Ah! You're the expert," Carlos says.

"Except someone hasn't exactly asked her yet," Addy says as she walks over to Evie and Mal.

"Um, Jay... if you were gonna ask Addy, what's the best way to go?" Carlos asks Jay.

"Listen, all you got to do is look like me," Jay tells him causing Addy to roll her eyes.

"Oh, ha-ha," Carlos says.

"Mal, Addy," Jane says as she walks over.

"Hey, Jane," Carlos says nervously.

"Hey," Jane says with a smile.

"I was wondering...uh... if you liked the.... carrot cake last night," Carlos stutters.

"I had the pumpkin pie," Jane says.

"Oh, cool. Um, uh..." Carlos starts.

"Smooth," Jay says as he pulls Carlos away causing Addy, Mal, and Evie to smile.

"I have an opening for a fitting at 3:00," Evie says as Lonnie walks up. "Who wants it?"

"Me!" Lonnie says quickly before turning to Jane. "Sorry."

"Perfect. I'll take you later," Evie says before she and Lonnie walk off.

"Mal? Addy?" Jane says.

"Yes?" Addy responds.

"I hate to keep bugging you both, but the decorating committee needs more answers. So, as much as I hate to, um... you know, um..." Jane starts as Mal nods.

"Bug us?" Mal asks.

"Right," Jane says.

"Yeah, Jane, I would love to. I just have to get to class," Mal says and tries to walk off but Jane stops her.

"You know, just nod if you like it," Jane tells her.

"Okay," Mal says with a sigh.

"Chair swags. Entry banner. Twinkle lights. Napkin design. Table bunting. And you still haven't picked the party favors yet," Jane names off and Mal just nods.

"Honestly, Jane, whatever you think..." Mal tries to say.

"I mean, we can do chains, key charms, pen toppers. I kind of love the pen toppers, but, I mean, we can do all three," Jane says really fast, stressing Mal out. This causes Mal's eyes to flash green.

"I say pen toppers," Addy says as Mal takes a deep breath.

"Yeah?" Jane asks.

"Yeah," Mal answers with a smile.

"You won't regret it," Jane says excitedly.

"Okay," Mal says with a giggle as Lonnie and Evie walk back over.

"I can hardly wait to see what your wedding will look like!" Lonnie says as Mal isn't really paying attention.

"Me, too," Mal says before she realizes what was said. "Wait! What?!"

"The Royal Cotillion is like getting engaged to be engaged to be engaged," Addy explains.

"I knew it!" Evie says excitedly.

"Well, everyone knows it," Jane says as if it was obvious.

"I didn't know it!" Mal says panicked. "How come nobody told me that? Is my entire life just planned out in front of me..."

"Hi, Mal," Ben says as he wraps an arm around her waist.

"Hi, Ben," Evie, Addy, Lonnie, and Jane all say sweetly as if nothing had happened. Mal sends them a glare before Evie, Addy, and Lonnie walk off.

It's between classes and Addy rushes over to her locker.

"Hi, Addy," Jay says as he leans against her locker door.

"Hi," Addy says with a smile as Jay looks at the pictures of them in her locker. One is from Auradon Family Day and the other is from the coronation.

"You ready for date night?" Jay asks her with a smile.

"No, that's Thursday," Addy tells him with a smile.

"It is Thursday," Jay says.

"No, it's not," Addy argues.

"Yes, it is," Jay says with a smile.

"No, it's not," Addy argues with a little laugh before Jay gets out his phone.

"It is," Jay says showing her the date.

"I knew that," Addy tells him.

"I mean, if you don't have it, that's fine," Jay says as he puts his phone away.

"No, no, no. I was fully messing with you. I knew it was Thursday. I just have one more thing to go bake, and then I am all yours," Addy says before poking Jay's nose with a smile.

"Well, what about practice and your meeting with Ben?" Jay asks her.

"She multi tasks," Addy answers him as she flips her hair over her shoulder.

"She dabbles," Jay says with a smile.

"She dabbles," Addy agrees before she starts to walk off.

"You're the best!" Jay calls after her as he leans against the lockers again with a smile.

"That's me!" Addy calls back.

Addy had just finished up practice with the cheerleaders and they stopped on the balcony above the fencing team.

"All right, boys. Let's line it up. Carlos, you're with me," Jay orders as he walks over to the fencing team. "Let's go. Assembler. Salute. Lower the point. Masks down. En garde." The boys line up before getting ready as they follow Jay's orders. "Keep your center!" Jay slings Carlos into the middle of all of the guys. "Eyes on your opponent! Up and over." Carlos jumps over Jay before Jay disarms Chad. Another person attacks Jay before hitting him on the butt. Jay quickly takes his mask off as he faces his opponent.

"Get him, Jay! Watch out, Jay. Nice!" Carlos cheers as the team watches Jay and his opponent parry back and forth. Jay's opponent eventually steals Jay's sword causing Jay to have to dodge. Jay then kicks his sword out of his opponents hand before catching it. Jay's opponent takes their mask off to reveal Lonnie.

"It's Lonnie!" Addy cheers from where the cheerleaders are watching on the balcony.

"Not bad," Jay tells Lonnie.

"You should put me on the team," Lonnie states and Jay looks like he would consider it. Addy smiles as she sees how much Jay has changed.

"Hey, w...what?!" Chad says as he rushes over. "No, no, no. We'll...We'll be the laughing stock of the league. A...And what's gonna happen next? We'll have girls playing tourney? Come on, guys." Addy rolls her eyes at her brother.

"So?" Jay asks confused since it was different on the Isle.

"So? Uh, so, have you not read the rule book?" Chad questions him as he pulls out a rule Book. "Section 2, paragraph 3, 11-4. 'A team will be comprised of a captain and eight men.' Hmm? Why don't you read the rule book?" Chad shows the book to Lonnie before waving it around for everyone else.

"Okay, yeah, but you're down a man! I mean, since Ben had to leave to do all that king stuff," Lonnie tries.

"Exactly. We're down a man," Chad tells her.

"Jay..." Lonnie pleads.

"I'm sorry. Coach trusts me. I'm not gonna stay captain if I just throw out the rule book," Jay explains causing Addy to frown. Maybe he had changed too much.

"If my mother thought that way, she would have lost the war," Lonnie tells them.

"Okay," Chad says as if it isn't that big of a deal before Lonnie starts walking off. "Rule book. Rule book."

"All right, guys. Practice is over. Let's go," Jay says before everyone starts leaving. Jay looks up at Addy with a smile but she gives him a disappointed look.